I had actually meant to blog on this as part of last evenin's Nightly Navel Gazin' Report™ but the idea had slipped my mind as the time for providin' such report drew near. I recalled my need to get my feelin's about the event off my chest when I rolled over this post while over on Susie's blog.
Anyway, what this is all about is that since I purchased the laptop, which, incidentally needs to be taken in for some major problems, I can sit it in my lap as I watch TV or whatever. Such allows me to blog as I observe the media that comes in through my rabbit ears.* Well, this story begins with last evenin's perusal of the TV listin's when I found there was very little of interest to watch. However, PBS was showin' an episode of American Experience. These programs are always very well produced, and I have not seen one yet that I did not find to be an interestin' and enjoyable experience after havin' completed my viewin'. Well, last night's episode was on New York City, its rise as the commercial center of all the worlds trade, the program centerin' on the construction and emergence of the World Trade Center.
One portion of the program centered on some French guy who strung a wire between the two large towers and walked it, danced on it, and even laid down on it and looked into the sky admirin' a seagull. I found myself feelin' very nauseous and queasy as the pictures and descriptions of this event were played. I marveled at my uneasiness because I really have no real fear of heights, but for some reason, I was experiencin' vertigo jes' imaginin' bein' on a wire strung between two 100+ story buildings.
Imagine, however, my marvel when I felt nothin' other than the normal uneasiness at watchin' those planes go crashin' into those towers or the sight of those people who jumped from the top floors other than to die from smoke inhalation or bein' burned to a crisp.
I still ain't quite sure why I felt the way I did about the wirewalkin' episode, but even now, jes' thinkin' 'bout it makes my stomach queasy. Could it be that I have an allergy to visions of wires strung between two tall buildin's? Might I have a phobia 'bout idiots who would risk their lives in such a way? Surely my trepidation is not merely based 'pon the fact that the idiot in question was a Frenchman? I wanna hear your thoughts.
Now, 'less there be any thought that I am an unremorseful French despiser, let me say that I was very disappointed in the French government's failure to support the US in the War on Iraq, found French speakin' Quebecians to be rude and obnoxious when I was traveling' through Canada, and had no good experiences to relate to what I observed of the French military units that were stationed at the same NATO base as I while I was in the Army. I do, however, not despise the entire French population. I have always thought Jerry Lewis was a very fine individual based 'pon what I observed durin' his tenure as the host of the annual MDA Labor Day Telethon over the years. I 'spect Charlie Chaplin was a fine gentleman, as well.
Additionally, as some of ya'll likely know, I collect Best Picture winners: I have found a lot of connections to France 'mong these fine pictures, although some are primarily ephemeral. I have An American in Paris and Gigi, both centered on French life and starrin' a beautiful French actress Leslie Caron, as well as The French Connection whose biggest connection to France is the word French in the title, Patton, about a famous General who assisted in liberatin' France from the Nazis in WWII, The Life of Emile Zola, a movie actually about a Frenchman, Casablanca, which was centered during' WWII in "Free French Morocco", Wings, a movie 'bout pilots in France during WWI, All Quiet on the Western Front, which is based on WWI battles fought in France, and, of course, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which had nothin' at all to do with France, 'cept that there are some who think most of the French people are a bit cuckoo.
*I actually have one of those antennas that sits on a tall pole outside.
Posted by Tiger at September 15, 2004 06:02 PM | TrackBack